Mail-box.



Patented lune l7, I902. J. M. REASUNER.

' M A l L B 0 X.

(Application filed Jan. 7, 1902.)

2 Sheets-8heet I.

(No Model.)

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Patented lune I7, I902.

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M AIL BOX.

(Application filed Jqn. 7, 1902.)

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an PETERS 60., Moro-Limo. WASHINGTON o c 7 {No Modek) UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. REASONER, O FMATTHElVS, INDIANA.

MAul-eox.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,479, dated June 17,1902.

Application filed January 7 1902. Serial No. 88,772. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatL'JAMEs M. REAsoNER, a citizen of the'United States,residing at Matthews, in the county of Grant and State of In- 5diana,have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates'to mail-boxes; and the object of the same is toprovide a simple and effective device of this class having compartmentsfor receiving letters, parcels, and money, which are renderedconveniently accessible by means of a drop-door, whereby amail-collector may easily reach the contents of the box, which are fullyexposed to view when the door is opened, the box as an entirety beingstrong and durable and serving as a safe mail-depository.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts,which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail-box embodyingthe features of the invention and shown open. Fig. 2 is a transversevertical section through the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates the body of the box,which may be of any shapeand constructed from suitable material. It is obvious that the box willbe more durable andserve the purpose for which it is intended muchbetter if it is constructed of metal; but in some instances wood may beused or a combination of wood and metal. The body shown is substantiallyrectangular in form and has an inclined shed covering or roof 2, adaptedto cast the water therefrom in opposite directions, and at the apex orridge has an upstanding strip 3, which may be used for displayinginstructive mat:

ter, such as the hours of collection or a street name or number. Thebody 1 is interiorly divided into three compartments 4, 5, and 6 byvertical partitions 7 and S, the central compartment 5 being adapted toreceive parcels or large packages, such as newspapers. The one endcompartment 4 receives letters, and the opposite end compartment 6 isarranged to receive money, either in coin form ,sertion of the shackleof a lock.

or otherwise. The compartments 4, 5, and 6 are rendered accessible forthe purpose of collection by means of a drop-door 9, hinged at its loweredge to the bottom portion of the body 1 and provided with a centralangle-clip 10 at its upper edge to coact with a rigid hasp 11, securedto the top portion of the device, the clip and hasp being apertured forthe in- The door 9 might in some instances be replaced by means ateither end of the box for gaining access to the interior thereof; butfor convenience in exposing all the compartments the form of door shownis preferred. When the door 9 is closed and locked, the mail-matter andmoney may be inserted in the box through slots 12, 13, and 14,communicating, respectively, with the compartments 1, 5, and 6 and ofsuch dimensions as to permit the mail-matter to beunobstructivelyinserted in the said compartments.

Each of the compartments 4 and 6 is supplied with a supplemental bottom15,and movably mounted on that forming a portion of the compartment 4 isa slide16, carrying a tray 17, consisting of a sheet-metal stripupturned at the opposite sideportion and closely bearing against theside walls of the said compartment 4. Extending upwardly from the innerend of. the tray is a back guard 18, as clearly shown bydotted lines inFig. 2, said guard rising above the plane of the slot 12 and operatingto draw the mail-matter or letters within the compartment 4: toward theoutlet of said compartment when the door 9 is lowcred, so as to fullyrelieve the compartment of mail-matter or draw it outwardly withinconvenient reaching distance. On the supplemental bottom 15 of thecompartment 6 a tray 19 is slidingly mounted and has a directing blockor enlargement 20 at the rear thereof, with a front downwardly-inclinedside 21, the block 20 rising above the plane of the upper edge portionsof the tray 19 and serving to direct the coin or other money depositedin the compartment 6 through the slot 14 into the tray 19. This tray 19snugly fits within the compartment 6 in a manner similar to the tray 17in the compartment 4, both of said trays being free for slidingmovement, but in close enough relation to the side walls of the saidcompartments 4 and 6 to prevent the let- ICO ters and money from lodgingbetween the opposite side portions of the trays and said side walls ofthe compartments. The slide'16 and its tray and the tray 19 aresimultaneously drawn outwardly from the compartments 4 and 6 when thedoor 9 is lowered. This operation is accomplished through the medium ofpull-rods 22 and 23, having outer hooked ends 24, loosely engaging eyes25 on the inner side of the door 9. The pull-rod 23 is connected to therear or inner extremity of the slide 16 or to the guard 18 and has aninner angular end 26, slidably mounted in a horizontal slot 27, formedin the inner wall of the compartment 4. The inner end of the rod 22 isalso formed with an angular member 28, freely slidable in'a slot 29 inthe inner wall of the compartment 6, said slot 29 having an extent equalto and at the same elevation as the slot 27. The inner angular member 28of the rod 22 is secured to the inner extremity of the member 19byengaging the block 20, and both rods are retained in operativerelation to the parts with which they engage by loosely passing throughguide-loops 30, adjacent to the slots 27 and 29, and extending into thecompartment 5. As the door 9 is opened the slide 16 and its tray 17 andthe tray 19 and directing-block 20 will be drawn outwardly, as shown byFig. 1, and the contents of the compartments 4 and 6 will thus be madereadily removable. When the door 9 is closed, the slide 16 and its trayand the tray 19, together with the block 20, will be moved backwardlyinto the compartments 4 and 6 and disposed in normal position. It willalso be seen that when the door 9 is opened the compartment 5 will befully exposed and mail-matter such as packages, parcels, orpapers-therein contained can be easily removed.

Avertically-movable slide 31 is located adjacent to the slot 12 and heldin a guide 32 above said slot and also in an end slot 33 in the roof ortop covering 2. The upper ex tremity of the slide 31 is in the form of alateral-projecting head 34, which acts as a stop to the downwardmovement of the said slide and will also be used as an indicator tonotify those approaching the box that mailmatter is being withdrawntherefrom when said head is lowered, as shown by Fig. 1, and during suchlowered position of the head 34 the body of the slide 31 below will bepulled downwardly over the slot 12 to prevent the insertion of lettersthrough the said slot into the compartment 4. The head 34 may also besupplied with suitable designating matter. The lower end of the slide 31is formed with a seat 35 to fixedly receive a horizontal arm 36 of apull-rod 37, the said arm being in continual engagement with the seat35. The pullrod 37 is suitably curved and moves through a guide-loop 38,the outer end of said rod being secured to the outer side of oneextremity of the door 9. As the door 9 is opened the pull-rod 37 isdrawn downwardly through the guide 38 and simultaneously moves the slide31 downwardly over the slot 12. When the door 9 is closed, the slide 31is elevated to clear the slot 12.

The mail-box herein disclosed is particularly adapted for use inlocations or communities where the money for postage can be inserted inthe box, and will be particularly useful in rural districts at adistance from the post-office, though it is not confined to thisapplication.

Changes in the form, size, proportions, and minor details may beresorted to without de parting from the principle of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is-I 1. A mail-box comprising a body divided into three compartments eachhaving means for depositing matter therein from the exterior, the one.side of the box being primarily left fully. open to give access to thecompart ment, a door hinged at its lower edge to the bottom of the sideof the box primarily left open and adapted to close said side, traysslidingly mounted in the end compartment and horizontally disposed toreceive the matter deposited in said compartments, and connectingdevices between opposite ends of the door and the said trays, wherebythe latter will be moved outwardly and inwardly simultaneously with thecorresponding movement of the door.

2. A mail-box comprising a body divided into three compartments withslides leading thereinto from the exterior, supplemental bottoms in theend compartments,a slide on one of the said supplemental bottomscarrying a tray having its opposite side portions closely bearingagainst the side walls of its compart ment, a tray slidingly mounted onthe other supplemental bottom and provided with a directing-enlargementat the rear, a drop-door hinged to the body, and connecting means between the movable parts in the end compartments and the said doorwhereby said movable parts will be drawn outwardly from and movedinwardly into their compartments simultaneously with the opening andclosing movements of the door.

3. A mail-box having a money-receiving compartment at one end, asupplemental bottom in the said compartment, a tray slidingly mounted onthe supplemental bottom and provided with a directing-enlargement at therear end that inclinesat the front downwardly to ward the tray, the saidtray being at all times maintained in a true horizontal position in itsmovement over the supplemental bottom, a drop-door hinged to one side ofthe box to expose the said compartment, and connecting means between thetray and the door whereby said tray will be drawn outwardly from andpushed inwardly into the box simultaneously with the opening and closingmovements of the door.

4. A mail-box having an end compartment with a supplemental bottomtherein, a door hinged over one side of the box, a slide mountment, aslide vertically movable over the said slot and having an upperlaterally-proj eoting head, and means between the said slide and doorfor moving the slide simultaneously with I 5 the door.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. REASON ER.

Witnesses:

PAUL E. RUDD, E. K. HARDIN.

